Conner was dealing with a MCL sprain and hamstring injury in the past couple of weeks. The Jets play the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan said Wednesday that the move “doesn’t preclude us from bringing him back at some point… that is a possibility that he could be back with us.”

The Jets signed LB Marcus Dowtin off the practice squad to take Conner’s roster spot “Quite honestly we needed the spot,” Ryan said.

The Jets want to bring back Conner if he doesn’t sign with another team. Conner would not be eligible to return to the team until late in the regular season, according to terms of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Conner, a fifth-round pick in 2010, hit the national stage when Ryan routinely praised Conner -- nicknamed "The Terminator".